Get Ready, it’s Mother’s Day
At some point in my public school education I heard the phrase “If we don’t learn from history it will repeat itself.” I think someone came up with those words of wisdom thinking the next generation would actually heed that advice and be able to stop doing the stupid things humans do.
I have come to realize that no matter how aware one can be of past lessons, history can and will repeat itself. Let’s talk about Mother’s Day.
This is not a story of the history of Mother’s Day, this is a story of what can happen on Mother’s Day.
The date is Mother’s Day 2003. Elaine and I had moved to the mountains just two months before. Our first batch of kids had moved on and they were living in town. The twins were also living in town but spending a few weekends with us in the mountains. Life was great, quiet and peaceful.
Mother’s Day Eve it started to snow. Spring snowstorms in Northern Colorado can be quite beautiful. And not so beautiful. As we found out a spring storm and put a tremendous amount of snow on the ground in a hurry.
That’s what happened Mother’s Day 2003. Elaine and I (the new mountaineers) were not ready for what was happening.
A few hours into the snowstorm the lights started flickering. Soon the flickering stopped, to be followed by no electricity. We were now enjoying heavy snow accompanied by NO electricity. Elaine snuggled up next to a window with a book. Me? I started to pace.
Me: How long is this (construction language) going to last? Elaine: I don’t have any idea, just get a book and try to enjoy it. Me: What if it is doing this when it get’s dark? Elaine: Relax, light candles and the power will come back on, everything will be fine.
Elaine fibbed. Everything was not fine. The power did not come on for 27 hours. Abe Lincoln has nothing on us that weekend. Elaine and I were reading by candlelight. Why? Because that was the only (construction language) thing to do!
We made it through the night with no electricity. Let me be clear, no electricity means no stove, no water, (no electricity to pump water from the well) no flushing the toilet. That’s a lot of no’s.
Elaine and I were melting snow on the wood burning stove to make canned soup, (no electric can opener). In the morning I started to panic. I decided to go to town. I got exactly an 1/8 of a mile down a 1/4 mile driveway before my truck go stuck in the snow. It took me three hours to of digging to get my truck unstuck and return to the house.
Elaine: Are you ready to move back to town? Me: You (construction language) better believe I’m ready to go back to town!
That was not the answer Elaine expected or wanted. She started to cry. After a few hours the electricity came back on and we calmed down and hugged each other. We actually went out to eat to salvage Mother’s Day.
Guess what happen this Mother’s Day? Yep, 20″ of snow. No power for 6 hours. We read and took naps. We didn’t flush the toilet or open the refrigerator. I made it to town before the electricity went out; I needed hay!
I’m starting to dread Mother’s Day, but I am paying attention to history.
Our crazy lives!
Monner
